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A look at GMC pickups: 1902-2014

First Coast News, news source 9:34 a.m. EST December 21, 2012

1950s - Cars again influenced truck design in the '50s, resulting in more safety, comfort and performance. This 1955 GMC featured hooded headlights and panoramic glass. Image provided by General Motors.(Photo: WTLV)

Max Grabowsky was the founder of the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company. His 1902 truck paved the way for the GMC brand, according to General Motors. The first Rapid Truck was little more than a seat, an engine cover and a frame.

In 1909 GM purchased Grabowsky's company. By 1912 the first GMC logo was placed on the Rapid Truck's grille, marking the birth of a new brand. GMC came about from the name General Motors Truck Company, which equated to the GMC Truck brand name.

What follows is a brief photo history of the GMC brand.

1902 -The Rapid Truck debuts, forming the basis for what would later become GMC.

1912- The first GMC badges appear on Rapid Trucks.

1920s - The 1927 GMC truck featured stylized fenders, headlights attached to the radiator, and the first chrome-plated radiator surround.

1930s - GMC added sloped grilles in the '30s along with more color options and passenger cabs inspired by car design trends, which helped expand the truck market. Pictured is a 1936 GMC half-ton pickup.

1940s - Following the war, GMCs of the late '40s featured fully integrated headlights for the first time, as well as wider, lower, and bolder grilles.

1950s - Cars again influenced truck design in the '50s, resulting in more safety, comfort and performance. This 1955 GMC featured hooded headlights and panoramic glass.

1960s - The first GMC pickup with a full-width hood debuted in 1960. Other design cues included "jet pod" grilles at the front and a pinched-waist body crease on each side.

Future - The 2014 Sierra is introduced to go on sale in mid-2013, featuring three new EcoTec3 engine choices: A V-6 and two V-8s, all featuring direct fuel injection and cylinder deactivation. Pictured is a 2014 GMC Sierra SLT.